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Timeline (Things Have Changed)
This timeline covers major events in the Things Have Changed world. As the project focuses on the United States, this timeline will be centered around the US as well. This timeline uses 1788 as a point of divergence, mainly starting with the presidential election. Under this timeline, all thirteen states have ratified the Constitution before the election. The Constitution is slightly different, but these changes are dealt with in relevant articles. 1788 September * 1: All electors for the Electoral College had been chosen by this date and had until October 1 to submit votes. George Washington was expected to become the first president while John Adams, George Clinton, and John Jay were the frontrunners for vice president. October * 1: By this date, all electors had submitted their votes to the Continental Congress, where the results were to be announced. * 15: President of the Continental Congress Cyrus Griffin read the results of the Electoral College before Congress, announcing that George Washington had been elected president and John Jay vice president. President-elect Washington soon stated that he would serve only one term. November * 1: In the first "omni-election" day, Americans elected their congressmen in the House of Representatives, members of state legislatures, and governors. Pro-administration politicians won a 35-30 majority in the House and 8 of 13 state legislatures. 8 of 13 governors were anti-administration. * 15: State legislature-elects met in a special pre-inauguration session to choose senators and send them to the Continental Congress for Congressional President Cyrus Griffin to approve. Being the first selection, the legislatures each got to choose two senators rather than one, though the seat two senators would receive a shortened four-year term, rather than eight. Pro-administration politicians won a 17-9 Senate majority. December * 15: Senator-elects met in New York for a special pre-inauguration to pre-approval the creation of Cabinet posts and confirm Cabinet and Supreme Court appointees (and to choose two justices to serve shortened four year terms for the first court). The Senator-elects approved all of Washington's requests for departments (State, Treasury, War, and Justice), his appointees for each (John Adams, William Bingham, John Armstrong, and Henry Laurens, respectively), and his SCOTUS appointments: John Rutledge (Chief), Alexander Hamilton (Seat 2), and James Iredell (Seat 3). The fill SCOUTS Seats 4 and 5, the Senator-elects chose Cyrus Griffin and Samuel Chase. 1789 January * 1: President of the Continental Congress Cyrus Griffin, the final holder of that office, swears in John Jay and John Rutledge as the first Vice President and Chief Justice of the United States. Vice President Jay swears in John Hancock as Speaker of the House and Benjamin Franklin as a Senator and President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Closing the first Inaugural ceremony, Chief Justice Rutledge swears in George Washington as the first President of the United States, and President Washington gives the first Inaugural Address. After the ceremony, Speaker Hancock swears in the new class of Congressmen, and Vice President Jay the new Senators. Chief Justice Rutledge swears in the incoming Cabinet Secretaries and Associate Justices. The new government under the Constitution is in place. Category:Things Have Changed